


Shortness of Breath Extras

by Blankdice



Series: Shortness of Breath [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-04-18 13:02:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4706960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blankdice/pseuds/Blankdice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Extras for Shortness of Breath.<br/>1: The texts exchanged between Pepper and Tony in chapter 30 and later.<br/>2: Tony and Bruce have some fun. This one contains smut.<br/>3: Tony visits Clint in the hospital.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Pepper: Hitting on your doctor is not a proper doctor patient relationship.

Tony: Don't make me laugh, he's in the room. 

Pepper: He's really skewing your expectations of what a doctor does.

Pepper: Unless you're 'playing doctor'? I didn't think you were into that, but I could be wrong.

Tony: Well there's a thought. I'll save that for later. Also, he's not actually my doctor and I'm just flirting.

Pepper: Save it for your 'sessions'. Have him give you a full physical.

Tony: Oh my god.

Pepper: I bet you two sit around the shop and compare tools.

Tony: PEPPER 

Pepper: He's such a nice guy, I almost feel bad for saying all this. You're a terrible influence on me. Also: I bet he's a grower, not a shower.

Tony: Pepper he's still in the room and I'm laughing why are you doing this.

Pepper: On a more serious note, this thing with you and Bruce explains why you were so distraught when he was gone.

Tony: There is no thing.

Pepper: Yeah, I don't believe that. I know you better than that, Tony.

Pepper: I see the looks you're giving him.

Pepper: Does he not know, is that it? If so, you should tell him. I'm pretty sure no one would be surprised by you liking a guy, including Bruce. It's hardly scandalous.

Tony: Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting right now?

Tony: There really is no thing, by the way. I've considered making it a thing and, you know, maybe it would be nice but there is no thing. If there were, he would have picked up on the flirting. Oh shit, he's coming this way. This is your fault.

Pepper: Yes, but what can I say, you're a bad influence. This is a boring meeting. Tell him I say hi.

Tony: I had to tell him what I was laughing about. He knows you make filthy jokes about him, I hope you're happy now. Also he says hi back.

Pepper: Did you immediately start flirting with him again? Because maybe the problem is that he's not taking you seriously. You did say, you flirt with everyone.

Tony: Pepper, you were right.

Pepper: Tony, I am always right.


	2. Chapter 2

Sometimes, testing new features on a suit is as easy as having Friday run all the checks and protocols. Sometimes it means setting the suit up in the lab and spending a day or two turning a specific system on and off or making it bend the same joints over and over while different control surfaces are deployed.

The best kind of testing is when he takes it into the field.

Now, this test doesn't take any explosives or fireworks, or even complicated maneuvers, but it's still fun. He's given Bruce a hideous-looking but effective poncho that camouflages his heat signature, a paintball gun and the remote to all the custom fog machines he's set up across the field.

“I'm ready,” Tony says. He's hovering over the field, somewhere in upstate New York. The grassy hollow under him looks strange, dotted with square machines, extension cords everyone, one human figure with a brightly coloured paintball gun. Tony's painted it purple, as a joke.

“Okay,” Bruce says over the headset. “I'm starting the fog machines. Please don't come swooping down at me because I can't see unless I leave this hood off.” There is a short, nervous laugh. “You don't want to startle me.”

“Don't worry,” Tony says. The field is starting to fill up. It's a very quiet day, no wind at all. “I'm not coming down at you, all I'm doing is flying around up here, trying to dodge whatever you can throw at me. How is the infrared working?”

“I can see you,” Bruce says. Tony can't see him anymore, not in the visible spectrum anyway, He switches to the thermal overlay. He's been tinkering with new glasses for Bruce and really, adding a few filters is ridiculously easy. Tony can see the fog machines in a steady red. Bruce is still standing in one place, his head the only thing visible in the infrared. 

He's probably getting used to the way everything looks, making notes on the shape of the pockets of hot air the repulsors are creating.

Tony decides to give him a moment so he's still hanging still in the air when the first paintball comes flying out at him from the cloud. He is so surprised, and proud at Bruce for taking the opportunity of a cheap shot, that he lets it hit him.

“One point for me,” Bruce says, and the shape of his head disappears. 

“That was a cheap shot,” says Tony. He starts moving sideways, knowing Bruce is walking all but blind and unwilling to sit still for another go. “I'm proud of you.”

“I'm not above playing dirty,” Bruce says. 

Tony is turning on all his filters. They've been tested in the lab, of course, but he checks all of them just to make sure before he starts trying combinations. 

He spots Bruce when he walks in front of a fog machine. The machines are warm, and Bruce's silhouette throws an outline to straight to be natural. The new program he's written flags it immediately, moments before he would have seen it by himself. That's good.

When there's a flash of heat, he is prepared. He dodges the second shot easily and throws in a somersault for good measure. That was a mistake, because he's lost sight of Bruce and the third shot hits him on the chest, right under the arc reactor.

Bruce is gone again, sneaking through the fog with his hood on. “Show-off,” he says.

By the time they're done, Tony is sweating in his suit again. It's not panic sweat, just the result of a good workout. Bruce has somehow managed to get himself covered in dust and dirt. Both problems are easily remedied, and even have the same solution.

“I could use a shower,” Tony says, nonchelantly. They're back at the tower and he's peeled himself out of his suit, out of the damp shirt he was wearing underneath. He can see Bruce looking so he turns, cocks his head and smiles. It's the sultry smile. Bruce has noticed that as well, judging by the way he swallows, looks faintly embarrassed. “Want to join me, Bruce?”

Bruce surprises him with a smile of his own. It's clear he hasn't had as much practise as Tony has at seductive looks, but there's something in his eyes that more than makes up for it. Yes, Tony thinks. There it is. “Yes,” Bruce says. “I think I will.”

They head up to Tony's private floors, where Bruce has been spending more and more time. He's even had the VIP tour, including the VIP.

Tony's shower is pretty large, and he knows from experience that it's easy to fit two people in. He's managed four with room to spare. He turns the water on first, letting it stabilise to the temperature he likes, and strips off his pants. They go into the laundry chute, along with the shirt, socks, underwear. He realises he's standing naked in front of Bruce, for the first time.

“Come on,” he says. “Your turn. I'm showing you mine, you know how the rest goes.”

“You're not very shy, are you?” Bruce starts unbuttoning his shirt.

“I thought you knew me.” Tony takes a step closer, tugs lightly at the shirt. The glow from his arc reactor makes strange shadows on the cloth. “I've seen you without this, no need to be shy.” Bruce makes a noise in the back of his throat and Tony lets go. “Too much?” he asks. “I can slow down.”

“Not enough,” Bruce says and Tony is very, very glad to hear that because it means he can lean in, pull away the shirt and run his hands over Bruce's chest. Tony has gotten to do that more and more often and it's pretty great. He kisses Bruce, just briefly, and steps away, into the shower.

He can hear the jingle of a belt buckle. He smiles and says: “Friday, pull up the results from this afternoon's test.”

One wall of the shower lights up with images of the various filters and a breakdown of hits and misses.

Bruce steps into the shower, puts a hand on Tony's shoulder and points at the second hit. “That's because you're a showoff,” he says.

Tony turns. He tries to say something, make a witty comeback, but he can't. Bruce's hair is damp and water is streaming down his shoulder, his chest, leaving dark trails in the fuzzy hair. Tony opens his mouth, can only manage to take a breath.

“You're staring,” Bruce says, and his hands are fidgeting, rubbing his neck.

“Hmm,” Tony manages. He leans down to kiss Bruce's neck. “Enjoying the view.”

“Right,” Bruce says, and then: “Oh,” and then nothing because Tony is rubbing against him, one hand between them.

“Still good?” Tony says, fingers curling around Bruce's erection.

Bruce has stopped fidgeting so much, his hands are now on Tony's back and they are pressing them closer together. “Yes,” he says. “I can't believe you made me wait this long.”

“Anticipation makes it all the sweeter,” Tony says, stroking slowly.

“You're not really known for being patient,” Bruce says. He's not very patient himself, moving into Tony's hand. Tony decides he likes it.

He smiles, kisses Bruce again. “I've learned the value of patience in my old age.”

Bruce shakes his head, kisses him hard. His lips tingle afterwards. “No,” Bruce says, “you just like taunting me.”

“That, too,” Tony admits. He opens his hands, folds himself into his fingers as well. It's a handful, but he manages to stroke down, pull back up and he can just hear Bruce's breath speed up as he does it. It's good to know the effect you have one someone. 

Neither of them lasts long in the end, and Tony is feeling a little weak around the knees when the time comes to clean up and get out of the shower. The heat isn't helping. He leans on Bruce until the man swats him away, only mock-annoyed. Tony doesn't let him get out without another kiss.

He's the first back down to the workshop, because Bruce has to go to his apartments a floor down to get clean clothes. Tony thinks he should start moving things around, make this whole process easier. He sits down with the test data and realises that Bruce is not a bad shot. It's a little embarrassing, but he can also tell he got better at dodging towards the end of the test. Maybe he should practise. Maybe they should practise together. There's an idea.

He grabs his phone and types out a text to Pepper.

Tony: Pepper, guess what.

Bruce comes into the workshop and Tony calls over: “I'm bragging to Pepper, do you mind?” If he does, Tony will tell Pepper about the suit upgrades and she won't suspect a thing.

“I'm sorry, what?” Bruce says.

Tony looks up, waves his phone. “Do you mind Pepper knowing that we're sleeping together?”

Bruce gives him an odd look and walks over. “I'm honestly surprised you haven't already told her.”

“Well, she knows something's going on but I figured I'd let her know about just now.”

“What, in detail?” Bruce frowns, glances at Tony's phone. 

“I wasn't going to go into detail, but if you want that to happen, big guy,” he smirks. “I could.”

“No,” Bruce says quickly, “that's all right. Can I see?”

Tony turns his phone on and shows him the conversation. Pepper has responded by now, so he types out a reply of his own.

Pepper: What is it this time, Tony?

Tony: Remember when I used to drunk-text you every time I slept with a model?

Bruce shakes his head. “You didn't.”

“No, I did.” Tony ruffles Bruce's hair, lingers a little. “It was really embarrassing. For Pepper too, I imagine.”

Pepper: Tony, are you drunk?

Tony: No, the other thing. Well, I'm not doing it right now, that would be weird. And not the model part.

“You are unbelievable,” Bruce mumbles, but he is smiling. 

“Pepper tells me, yes.” Tony leans sideways. The chair he's sitting on has no backrest and Bruce is very conveniently standing just next to him. He's nicer than your average chair, too. 

“I can never look Pepper in the eyes again,” Bruce says.

“I'll stop,” says Tony but Bruce is shaking his head.

“The damage is done,” he says. “And I suppose we were going to have to tell her at some point. She knows you, she's not going to be too shocked, right?” Bruce looks over, hope and a little dread in his eyes.

Tony points at his phone.

Pepper: Please tell me it's Bruce because if you're sleeping with random people again I'm going to have to hit you.

“Oh,” Bruce says.

Tony grins. He types a quick answer and wraps an arm around Bruce's middle. With the other hand, he starts flicking through test results. He figures Bruce can help him sort through it. His phone buzzes, but he has better things to do.

Tony: Yes, it is. You don't have to hit me.

Pepper: Be nice to him. You're a difficult man to be with. And tell him I say hi.


	3. Chapter 3

The medical facility is not like a hospital, exactly. It's different, filled with more scientists and people in dark suits, and it has a lot of doors with little danger symbols on them. The Avengers are still new, but they know what they're doing. They know that the stuff they deal with can be pretty strange, some of that stuff leaves fallout, and sometimes that fallout is poisonous.

Thankfully, there are no such symbols on the door to Clint's room.

He's not awake, but he's stable. He's finally stable and it's taken a long time to get him there but he's going to be fine. 

That's why everyone is suddenly visiting him, even if he doesn't know it himself.

When Tony enters the room, Steve and Natasha are already there, talking quietly. Clint's wife – and there's a thought Tony isn't used to just yet – is sitting by the bed. She looks up with a tired smile and he wonders if she's been here all along. It's likely.

“Hey, Tony,” Nat says.

He smiles. “Hello, you three. Or four, but it looks like one of you is still asleep. What's the etiquette on that, Steve?”

“Why do you all assume I'm good at etiquette?” Steve asks. He sounds vaguely annoyed and Tony thinks that's pretty funny.

“Bruce not with you?” Nat asks. “He's still staying with you, right?” Something secretive flickers on her face. “Someone tells me he may be sleeping over for a while.”

“I'm not sure what you're implying.” Tony cocks his head. “And who told you that?”

“Relax, Tony, you don't have a security breach. It was Pepper.” Nat smiles very briefly and crosses her arms. 

Tony shakes his head. “No, that's worse. I'm being betrayed by my friends again. What did she tell you, exactly?”

“She said it was good I didn't resent Bruce or it might be difficult to be around you,” Nat started, voice level as if reading it out, “and that no, it's not like that, not like that at all, you two are the best of friends, nothing going on there in the slightest.” She pauses. “She was blushing a lot when she said it. Really, a lot.”

“She is a terrible liar,” Tony says.

Nat nods. “She really is. So are you two a thing?”

“Yes, about that,” Tony says and changes the subject, because Nat is still scary. “I'm sorry about you and Bruce. I really though something was going on there for a while. I hope everything's, you know, okay with you.”

“I thought so too,” Nat says and she lets a bit of sadness show. Some regret, maybe. Then, the cautious smile is back in place. “But it's fine. We both know where we stand now. I can explore other options.”

“That's the spirit,” says Tony. He turns to the bed. “Looks like we'll all be fine, eventually.”

“Wait,” Steve says. He's looking at Tony, face a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “You never answered the question. You and Bruce?”

“Oh boy.” Tony scratches the back of his head. “You're not going to be difficult because we're both guys, are you? Because yes, Bruce and me. We're a thing. Officially.”

Steve shakes his head and he actually looks disappointed but when he opens his mouth, it's not what Tony expects: “Really, Tony, I was in the military. I spent a lot of time with a group of showgirls and I don't know if you know, but a group of girls like that, traveling the front together, they gossip. How sheltered do you think I can be after that?

“I hadn't considered that,” Tony says and adds: “Thanks for not judging.”

“I had,” says Nat. “I'm not surprised. Were any of them lesbian?”

“Two of them,” Steve says. “I think they knew I knew, because they kept making these jokes.” He smiles, remembering something.

“Dirty jokes?” Nat asks.

Steve nods and he's even blushing a little and Tony has to admit the guy isn't as innocent as he thought, but it's good to know lesbian sex jokes still make him blush.

“Pepper does good dirty jokes, too,” he says.

“I know,” Nat says. The look she gives him is impossibly smug and then she ducks out of the room.

“Pepper is my ex,” Tony says to Laura, Clint's wife, in the following silence. Something about Natasha's reaction, her face, is bothering him but he can't put his finger on it so he talks instead. “Also a very good friend and my CEO.”

“Really?” Laura says. “I thought she was Nat's friend, they were texting just now.”

Tony shoots Steve a look and Steve nods slowly, eyebrows raised. 

“Exploring other options,” Tony says, “ever heard that one before?”

“No,” says Steve. “That one is new. Very subtle, just like Natasha.”

“I'll have to see if I can get the truth out of Pepper, has to be easier than getting it out of Nat.” He pulls his phone from his pocket. “I'll keep you updated.”

From over by the bed, Laura shakes her head. “Clint always said you guys were like a soap series. To think I didn't believe him.” She sighs, takes a moment to hold Clint's hand, says to him: “Actually, they're probably worse.”


End file.
